When you cut, how much do you go by feel vs. being strict to a plan? I ask because you seem to be very detail-oriented, and you definitely make fast progress! Is it “X number of calories until no weight change for Y long, then drop Z;” or is it more “I looked in the mirror and felt bloated so I cleaned up what I was eating a little (or the opposite: I felt like crap so I ate some tacos)”?
1st thank you!
I am OCD detail oriented beyond a fault. Late in a cut this is good. Too early on it is really bad because unless you are a robot you will get burned out.
As for X=Y-Z stuff. Generally for adjustments I am always too aggressive (read impatient). I will usually over drop calories then a few days later be dying and go to a higher calorie stretch (still cut). It works out to be a defacto calorie cycle.
For progress I go by waist size and scale weight. I think if I go by just the mirror when I am near 12% I am just thrilled with myself and progress stalls hahahaha.
During the 2nd part of this cut I am looking to adjust a lot of those flaws. Early on I am going a little more by feel and counting less accurately and trying to eat foods I enjoy more and maybe eating a bit less “clean”. As I drop calories I will clean up my diet. I will also have a 2 week weight loss goal and once it is hit I can have a cheat meal (as long as the goal was hit in time).
##REVENGE OF SCIATICA
Yea I dont remember the last time it was this bad. It gave me the warnings, it didnt just appear today. Over the last 3 days it got progressively worse. Well today it was brutal. I went in and started stretching and sure as shit my everything was tight as insert thats what she said joke. I definitely wasn’t super mobile this week but damn I didnt think I earned this.
Dead Day of the Dead
A LOT OF STRETCHING…and not enough
Pause Squat
33@135
23@225
3s @ 315-365
Dead 5s @ 135-225-315
I didnt even bother chalking up and aside from crying was quite dry when leaving the gym. I stretched, rolled and then hobbled home to take a flat on back nap.
I will try to go back in later and hit these deads.
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Thanks for the detail! I definitely do better when I’m meticulous, but the mental energy is just too much for me most of the time.
Sorry about the flare-up. It’s brutal when it comes on. Hope this eases quickly.
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Bugger. Hope it eases up soon.
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Damn dude, sciatica is no joke. I found foam rolling to help alleviate mine. I foam rolled everything from calves to upper back and it seemed to take the discomfort down a notch or two.
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I figured out what was causing my sickness and contributed to my sciatica. It has been rectified.
BACK PUMP
CG Cable Rows
SUPASET
WG Pullups
Tricep Rope
Forward leaning Lateral Raises
Bicep Dum Curls
Just wanted to get in get moving and do what I can to attach this slouching posture. Antibiotics willing I can deadlift tomorrow other wise I will put it off until Saturday or Sunday. The way I see it it gives me a few extra days to run this training block for the 405 Bench @2x BW in a few weeks.
Sciatica is clearing up quickly thanks to frequent stretching and no pillow flat back naps for a couple hours each day.
I should add 2 good things happened today:
- This morning I saw my first PDC scorpion, about 4 inches long…then my wife made me kill it.
- Also I finally was able to buy measuring spoons.
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Making MAD ELECTROLYSIS GAINZ!!! A lot of my hair getting weaker and falling off now. I feel like they wasted 6 damn sessions which kind of pisses me off. Do people go in there expecting this to be pleasant? They are going to zap you with a strong enough electric current to kill hair follicles. If it doesn’t hurt it probably isn’t doing anything. Or it is just a way to get extra money?
Went into the doctor for treatment today and if he is straight he is going gay for me so that is pretty flattering hahaha. He was very impressed with my size and proportions.
Day 2 of Deload SUPA PUMPz
All sets in the 10-15 rep range…by the end of this workout I was temporarily pump immobilized. Will come up with a name for that.
EZ Curl
Dum Curl
Machine Curl
CG Cable Row SUPASET Cable Press
Cable Back Fly SUPASET Dum Military 20 reps @ 15 pounds
Goal last few days has just been to get my posture right and focus on general shoulder joint health. My sciatica has pretty much disappeared but it’s biggest test comes now when I walk to meet Wifey on our way to VIPs for a cheat meal and then a movie and groceries.
Soooo I have decided to plan my calorie cycling. It just fits my weaknesses too well. I over cut calories then in a few days I am weak both physically and mentally and have to increase calories a bit anyways. I feel if I plan it this should work better. So I will establish a base cut calories (2500 to begin) and on Squat Days add 1k calories and on Bench add 500. Then I have 3 days at base cut. I will evaluate calories after every program rotation (5 day split).
OK IM OFF!!! Enjoy your day!!! LIFT SOMETHING!!! LIVE SOMETHING!!!
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St Pattys Day runs deep Went to get water and dude was asking me what time it was. After repeating “cinco y cuarenta cinco” and then just “seis” a few times and counting on each others fingers (true story) he finally asked AM or PM…LOL bro start with that.
Then of course green borrachos every where…not uncommon for PDC on a saturday morning but they dont usually where that much green.
Last Antibiotic shot, source taking care of the issue (very impressed) and sciatica is like 99% gone. I will be resuming normal training tomorrow.
Irresponsible Fun and Health
Overhead Press 8-5-3-2-2-1s @
45-95-135-155-175-195-205-215-225-X235
Tricep Dum Crushers
Tricep 1 Arm Cable Downs
T-Cable Rows
Cable Back Fly SUPASET Lateral Raises
Calves
So yea, I know the worst thing I could probably do in my delt health recovery is test my 1RM in OHP…but I have probably not tested it in 3 years and I just wanted to make sure it wasn’t embarrassing. 235 was a 7 second miss and seeing the replay I cant believe I didnt lock it out. Considering I did all those reps yesterday and the bar for 8 gave me that little muscle fatigue I am pretty happy with it. Probably wont test it for another 3 years.
Weighed the plates at the gym with my electronic scale. My normal plates came it at 45lbs on the dot. The big black bumpers came in at 45.2 and the red plates that I used 8 of them to hit “635” dead came in at 20.0kg. So my dead PR is like 627. Still 3x BW and I am still calling it 635…and I will be testing my 1RM in a month or so with the black plates. So weird because those plates feel heavier than all the others. The black bumpers actually always felt the lightest.
I have been way overthinking this rowing/post delt work. Just do the heavy rows and let the imbalances find themselves. Various Cable Rowing is what I can do the heaviest (and probably is most closely mimics the opposite of my bench) while having the least negative effects to other areas then that is what I will do…by the whale load. KEEP IT SIMPLE!!! Then I will add in the post delt flys to cap it off.
Gonna Nap, maybe watch some Clone wars cartoons and then wifey and I have to do this shitty ass work party that she was told about today #goFKyerselfBOSS
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Physique is messin with me hard. Been bouncing in weight from 93ish to 95+ish kgs. On the plus side everything looks full/huge veins are showing in even new places and I have never had to fanaggle a razor in between my pecs before (electrolysis time again).
On the massive downside I look smooth AF and puffy everywhere else and my waist looks like a brick house…
This is probably a combination of anitbiotics, estrogen, new diet adjustments (moved metamucil to prebed and more salt) and needing some sun…I hope because otherwise I am going to have to cut back on the calorie cycling.
What ever is happening my waist is already starting to come in a bit after my first real workout in a week or so.
I will start weighing myself PM for more consistent results and add about 2kg to all my goals.
sunDEADay FUNDAY!!!
5*5 Deads @ 455. 5th set AMRAP of 8
Some calves and “yoga”
Pause Fronts to 365
Back Pause Triples to 365
More Calves
Was supposed to do Pause deads but my back was pumped almost to a perma cramp. So the Yoga was really just me laying on my back.
Felt really good to get a real workout in. Time for a nap and movies!!!
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Prebed 96.8kg
Physique tightened up quite a bit today. Over the next 3 days I am going to be very consistent with my macros and salt intake to pinpoint this bloating issue.
MONDAY BORED PRESS
Not a typo hahaha
Board Press 55+@245 last set was 10 @ RPE like 6
Yates Row 410@315
Cable Row SUPASET Wide Parallel Grip Pullups
Lateral Raise
Didn’t push anything this work out but still got some good work in. Xmas Tree muscles are still lit from yesterday deads and I am hoping to get a 2 a day in today or tomorrow to Bench on Wednesday.
PSA We all have that buddy who quarter squats or has “trouble” hitting depth. PAUSE SQUATS!!! Seriously I started with Juan, now Wifey whom was having (legit) injury issues and she had butt wink and knee pain but with pause squats everything cleaned up.
@ all the powerlfiters…and anybody actually 
Ideas on what percentages to train Board Press?
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Prebed 96.4kg 3-20
This morning looking very good, I don’t remember my abs having cuts this deep ever.
Now that I know I won’t be getting sick again (knock on wood) I am considering this day 1 of the Bucketlist Cut part 2. So here we go.
Pumpz and Poses
Tricep Stuff
Bicep Stuff
Lateral Raises
Poses
Hopefully going to this the beach and be ready for squats tomorrow.
Some fun shit…
BLC pt 2 let’s Begin (Finish)
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Prebed weight: 94.9kg…very cautiously thrilled with that. Going to work hard to avoid the rebound from today’s higher calorie day. (Keeping it clean and fibery.)
SQUAT WAVE E
Squat 4-4-4-7@425
Squat Machine Drop Set
Calves
Abs
I was really quad dominant today. Not sure if is from form or weakness related. Also stance started a bit wider than it should be and caused some knee discomfort…UPDATE now that my quads are cramping I am pretty sure it was weakness. Inserting salty citrus homemade electrolyte drink by gallons and bulk of daily calories now.
THE POWER OF RECOVERY COMPELS YOU!!! GROW, BECOME STRONGER!!! Rise from the ash of DOMS to squat heavy again!!!
(saying this out loud 3 times has been proven to be anabolic)
Time to get my electro treatment and then meal prep. No idea why I love meal prep. It’s a chore and generally boring but I do. I guess I literally feel healthier/leaner doing it.
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I am coming to the horrifying realization that diet probably played a bigger role in my bloat than anything else. If this seems obvious it’s because it should have been. That being said, problems rectified, live and learn, then get shredded AF.
94.2kg pre bed 4k cals yesterday 3600 what I would consider clean (and some Juan sponsored gelato). Woke up at 92.5kg so again very cautiously thrilled. I am going a little harder with the diet today than normal to hopefully avoid rebound. I am uber paranoid right now hahaha.
My quads hurt yesterday not from squatting but from the cramping that came after LOL FMquads.
I tried Melatonin last night and that sucked. When I woke up to flip over I just ended up feeling tranquilized but not any more sleepy. Switching to decaf again. This is probably in my head but decaf tastes different than regular to me. We use the dehydrated stuff, same company etc just one is decaf other is not.
Trying to do as much supersetting as possible for this fat ass of mine.
I am going back to PPL. I keep trying to make the wheel more round but the truth is PPL is awesome and is ideal for me in almost every situation.
Deads will suffer until Squat volume decreases and I get used to said volume as well as eating a bit more or until I put deads on lower day (where they normally go for me). Really all I care about is maintaining my Hook Grip. I dont have a dead goal even near the goal list.
and to give a glimpse into the detailed chaos of my world this is the top of the spreadsheet where I do most of the weekly planning and where I keep notes and reminders. I thought it was funny this week…
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Man, I love reading your blog because I don’t understand half of it, you just rant in Botslateresque and I just think you’re living the dream
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hahaha I just reread a couple posts as someone not inside of my head…I make no sense hahaha oh man I need to lay off the coffee.
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BENCH WAVE E (Skipped)
Bench 4-3-1s @ 135-205-275-315-355-385-XXXXX405
3@ 305
Board Press 3@305
Circuit: Tricep Rope, Cable press, Cable Row
Biceps…cuz day ending in Y
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BAHAHHAHHAHH I had a fucker do the same thing with comparing arm size. I’m like “bitch, I got 2” on your puny arms."
…sadly, he’s 5’5" and I’m 6’4"… so his arms did look larger.
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SQUAT WAVE D
Worked up to 3-3-4@465 RPE like all of it on every set
Pause Deads 3*3@405 Worked that hook grip hard
Butt Bridges Hammie Focus (move the feet away and focus on curling the legs)
Calves (because day ending in Y with Johnny)
Biceps (because day ending in Y with me)
Triceps (because we came that far)
Johnny then did abs while I literally pounded a liter of milk, banana, whey shake during his 1st set.
So, knee really hurting today much worse. I noticed I was not driving through my heels so that will be something I work on. It might be time to ditch the stilettos.
I have been working with Johnny on his PL bench on saturday’s. He decided he wanted to learn deads too. I was thrilled!!! I usually learn more about lifting from teaching than the person I am teaching. That one person is learning how they should deadlift, I am learning how an entire body type should deadlift. Kind of cool. Also I am learning that teaching is a learned skill. I am not very good at it, yet. But eventually we got it locked in. We learned he was squatting his deads because his hammies were so weak it burned just to put tension on them. So then we busted out the butt bridge for assistance.
I like how every body thinks that it’s nice and kind to teach. There is nothing more rewarding than teaching people things which means that me and myself are reaping most of the rewards. It’s literally the most selfish nice person thing possible.
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Thinking out loud…
That liter of carbs, protein and electrolytes slammed 12 seconds into the anabolic window probably at least helped with my leg cramps* (although a bigger factor was probably reps completed). What it definitely helped with was my hunger the rest of the day. I cut out the rest of my carbs for the day (400 calories) because I just knew I didn’t need it today.
Normally when I let myself walk home hungry by the time I get there nothing satisfies me…I am usually not eating super fast carby drinks though. Maybe it’s that?
*not a real believer of the anabolic window ahahaha
I think calve training caused my knee pain. Training them made my calves over active or tight or both and that pitched me forward and kept me from driving through my heels putting a ton of pressure on my knee.
When I figure out a simple effective way to train the anterior calf muscles I will add back in calf training at a 2-1 ratio Anterior to Posterior.
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Holy FK what a sunday.
SUNDAY Old School Back (even my clothes and music were the same as 4 years ago, like exact same)
Pullup Work
T-Bar Rows
Uni Cable Row
Back Fly
Tib Raises
Then Shit Got Weird
- Meal Prep
- Gathering with friends
- “Special” Cookies
- Anaphylactic Shock where person literlly stopped breathing for like 4 seconds I could swear they had died (they are fine now)
- Just as my super freaked out self got settled down and falling asleep somebody I hadnt seen or heard from in 6 months drops by out of the blue with BS lies and stories.
MONDAY BENCH ugh the worst…
4*4@305 (last set AMRAP and was 4)
Pin Press (benching in the squat rack, cuz monday)
Cable Fly
Tricep Rope
Dum Crusher
Lateral Raises
PHYSIQUE UPDATE
I dropped a ton of weight last week (over 4 kilos) but nothing really looked a lot better until I woke up sunday and shit was just popping.
90.9kg this morning and sub 90cm waist.
So I smashed my weight loss goals and my physique seems close (2-4 weeks). I am having a cheat daaa… I mean refeed day of epic proportions. Pics of everything coming soon…probably.
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